James Peterson wrote: > > Hi Every one: > > Stainless Steel is corrosion resistant because of the > Chrome content in it's formulation. Type 316 has about 16.5 % > Chrome, 12 % Nickle, 2.5 % Molybdenum, 2% Manganese, 1 % Silicon, > 0.03 % Carbon in an Iron solution. A steel cannot qualify for the > stainless prefix untill it has at least 10.5% chromium. > > The Chrome migrates to the surface during processing and forms an > oxide that is extremly corrision ressistant. > > This is the same reason the bumpers on cars stay the way they do and > why I wished I had the money to buy a stainless extractor. > > James Peterson Ph. D. > Chemistry Teacher I am not familiar with 316 stainless steel but I do not believe it is food grade. 304 stainless is considered food grade stainless and most extracting equipment and storage tanks are of this type. Vic Kroenke